Fresno RIPA Data Project
Descriptive Analysis
Catalyst California
19 August, 2024
Before engaging in a detailed analysis of Fresno PD patrol activity as outlined in the research plan, we created this descriptive analysis to explore overall trends in the Fresno RIPA data. This helps us determine if our expected findings are likely to show up in the data and allows us to identify any trends we did not expect. We include basis tallies on each of the following:
Stops overview
Officer-initiated stops versus calls for service
In 2022, there were a total of 5,317 police stops made by Fresno PD. Of those stops, 5,028 were officer-initiated stops and 289 were calls for service.
In 2022, 94.6% of Fresno Police Department stops were officer initiated stops while only 5.4% of stops were calls for service.
People stopped for officer-initiated stops
In 2022, Fresno PD stopped a total of 5,060 people through officer-initiated stops.
Demographics
Perceived race of people stopped
Fresno PD mostly stops people they perceive Latinx during officer-initiated stops. Over half of people stopped during these encounters are Latinx. For reference, about 50.5% of Fresno City’s population is Latinx. As a comparison, 11.3% of people they stopped Fresno PD perceived as Black while the Fresno City’s population only comprises of 6.2% Black people.
Perceived age of people stopped
Individuals aged 25-34 experienced the highest numbers of officer-initiated stops by Fresno PD in the year 2022.
Perceived gender of people stopped
In 2022, people identified as men (males) accounted for nearly 57% of officer-initiated stops by Fresno PD.
Perceived race and age group
In all age groups except for 55-64 and 65 and older, Latinx individuals make up nearly 50% or more of the officer-initiated stops by Fresno PD. For reference, generally Latinx individuals make up 50.5% of the Fresno population. By comparison, Black individuals make up 6.2% of the Fresno population and SWANA/SA individuals 6.1%. In most age groups, Black individuals make up a higher percent of Fresno PD’s officer-initiated stops, beyond their general share of the Fresno population.
In 2022, White individuals within the age groups of 55-64 and 65 and older were the most frequently stopped during officer-initiated stops by Fresno PD. White individuals may make up a higher share of the population in these age groups in Fresno. Generally, White individuals make up 25.4% of the Fresno population.
Perceived age by race and gender
In 2022, people perceived as men (males) were the most frequently stopped group across most age and race combinations. Latinx men ages 18-34, followed by Latinx women ages 25-34, had the highest number of stops by Fresno PD during officer-initiated stops.
In 2022, Latinx men ages 17 and under comprised more than 40% of people stopped under the age of 17. Similarly, Latinx men ages 18-24 made up about 37% of people stopped between the ages of 18-24.
Stop Reasons
The following explores the most common reasons for officer-initiated stops in 2022. Traffic violations are the overwhelming majority of officer-initiated stops that Fresno PD made in 2022, exceeding more than what is seen in other police jurisdictions in California. For this reason, we explore traffic stops more in depth as its own section.
Officer-initiated stops by stop reason
The Fresno Police Department makes an overwhelming majority of their officer-initiated stops for traffic violations. In 2022, Over 99% of people stopped by Fresno PD officers were stopped due to a perceived traffic violation.
Reported Stop Reason | # of Stops | % of All Stops |
|---|---|---|
Traffic violation | 5,023 | 99.27% |
Reasonable suspicion | 21 | 0.42% |
Knowledge of outstanding arrest/wanted person | 9 | 0.18% |
Consensual encounter resulting in search | 4 | 0.08% |
Parole/probation/PRCS/ mandatory supervision | 3 | 0.06% |
Traffic Stops
Over-all traffic stops by race and gender
Traffic stops by stop-type
Fresno PD made close to 4,000 traffic stops of moving vehicles in 2022, which represented more than three-quarters of their total stops for traffic violations.
Traffic stops by stop reason
This analysis focuses the stop reasons specifically for equipment/non-moving traffic stops. Over 50% of the non-moving or equipment-related traffic citations issued by Fresno PD in 2022 were for vehicles with obstructed windows or improper registration.
Traffic Violation | # of Times Cited | % of Total Equipment/Non-moving Traffic Violations |
|---|---|---|
Obstructed window/mirrors | 359 | 31.30% |
Unregistered vehicle | 292 | 25.46% |
License plates improperly displayed | 58 | 5.06% |
Unregistered vehicle in public parking facility | 57 | 4.97% |
Improper vehicle lighting | 54 | 4.71% |
Expired registration | 51 | 4.45% |
Inadequate mufflers | 40 | 3.49% |
Improper bicycle lighting | 39 | 3.40% |
License plate not illuminated | 24 | 2.09% |
Driving without headlights | 20 | 1.74% |
Traffic stop reasons by race and gender
Traffic stops made for driving without license citation
The Fresno Police Department only stopped 8 people in 2022 for driving without a license.
## count
## 1 8Traffic stops by result of stop
Across all three types of officer-initiated traffic stops (Equipment, Moving, Non-moving), a citation for infraction is the most common stop result, while a Warning verbal or written is within the top three most common stop results across all traffic stops.
Most common citations that resulted from traffic stop
Offense Code | Offense Statute | Statute | Total | Count | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
54106 | 22350 | UNSAFE SPEED:PREVAIL COND | 5,843 | 3,022 | 51.7 |
54571 | 26708(A)(1) | OPR VEH:WINDOW OBSTRUCTED | 5,843 | 414 | 7.1 |
54657 | 4000(A)(1) | NO REG:VEH/TRAILER/ETC | 5,843 | 352 | 6.0 |
54107 | 12500(A) | DRIVE W/O LICENSE | 5,843 | 350 | 6.0 |
54566 | 23123(A) | USE CELLPH W/DRIV W/O HFD | 5,843 | 159 | 2.7 |
54655 | 23123.5(A) | NO HND HLD DEVICE W/DRIVE | 5,843 | 145 | 2.5 |
54101 | 16028(A) | FAIL PROVE FIN RSP:PO REQ | 5,843 | 128 | 2.2 |
Traffic stops resulting in citations by race and gender
Stop Results
Officer-initiated stops by stop result
Stops resulting in use of force
Out of all officer-initiated stops made by Fresno PD in 2022, 99.7% of stops were indicated as having no instance of any use of force (5,043 total stops) while 0.33% of stops were indicated in the data as having instances of use of force (17 stops). All officer-initiated incidents of use of force inflicted by Fresno PD in 2022 occurred during traffic stops.
Fresno PD disproportionately inflicted use of force towards people they perceived as Latinx men in 2022.
Perceived Race | Perceived Gender | Total | Count | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Latinx | Male | 17 | 8 | 47.1 |
Latinx | Female | 17 | 2 | 11.8 |
Asian | Male | 17 | 3 | 17.6 |
SSWANA | Male | 17 | 1 | 5.9 |
White | Male | 17 | 2 | 11.8 |
White | Female | 17 | 1 | 5.9 |
Stops resulting in a field interview (FI) card
Two officer-initiated stops by Fresno PD in 2022 resulted solely in a field interview card being completed. A total of four people were stopped and given FI cards during an officer-initiated stop. All four FI cards were given to people during traffic stops.
Every individual that Fresno PD stopped and completed FI cards for in 2022 was perceived by officers as Black or Latinx. Officers also perceived three of these individuals as male and one as female.
Stops resulting in referral to US Department of Homeland Security ICE
Fresno PD reported that only one of their stops in 2022 resulted in a person being referred to ICE. The one individual referred to ICE by Fresno PD in 2022 was stopped for a traffic violation.
The one individual referred to ICE by Fresno PD in 2022 was perceived by officers as a Latinx male.